San Francisco officials on Tuesday approved measures aimed at cracking down on street vendors who are selling stolen merchandise.
In a unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors supervisors voted to impose the permit requirement, which will be enforced by the city’s Department of Public Works.“If you are on the street selling items, you have to show that you have proof of purchase,” Supervisor Ahsha Safai said of the new rules. “You have to have a permit from the city.”
“We paid thousands of dollars in rent, PG&E, everything,” said Alex Suen, owner of Mona’s Apparel. “And we sell legal things. Business is not good. We are struggling for life.” From Fisherman’s Wharf to Civic Center Plaza, illegal vending takes different shapes around the city. Supervisors said it’s not only a harm to small businesses, but an extension of the city’s property crime problems.